RV ''Western Flyer'' is a twin hulled

SWATH A small waterplane area twin hull, better known by the acronym SWATH, is a catamaran design that minimizes hull cross section area at the sea's surface. Minimizing the ship's volume near the surface area of the sea, where wave energy is locate ...

research vessel A research vessel (RV or R/V) is a ship or boat designed, modified, or equipped to carry out research at sea. Research vessels carry out a number of roles. Some of these roles can be combined into a single vessel but others require a dedicated ...

operated by the

Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute The Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) is a private, non-profit oceanographic research center in Moss Landing, California. MBARI was founded in 1987 by David Packard, and is primarily funded by the David and Lucile Packard Foundation ...

(MBARI). Its relatively stable SWATH design permits expanded operational capability in rough sea states. It is the platform of operations for the ROV ''Doc Ricketts'' (named after

Ed Ricketts Edward Flanders Robb Ricketts (May 14, 1897 – May 11, 1948) was an American marine biologist, ecologist, and philosopher. He is best known for ''Between Pacific Tides'' (1939), a pioneering study of intertidal ecology. He is also known as a men ...

). The vessel carries 10 crew, 5 ROV pilots, and 11 scientists, for a total complement of 26. Cruises generally center around the central California coast and

Monterey Bay Monterey Bay is a bay of the Pacific Ocean located on the coast of the U.S. state of California, south of the San Francisco Bay Area and its major city at the south of the bay, San Jose. San Francisco itself is further north along the coast, by a ...

, although excursions further afield to Hawaii, the Pacific Northwest, and the

Gulf of California The Gulf of California ( es, Golfo de California), also known as the Sea of Cortés (''Mar de Cortés'') or Sea of Cortez, or less commonly as the Vermilion Sea (''Mar Bermejo''), is a marginal sea of the Pacific Ocean that separates the Baja Ca ...

have taken place in recent years.

Vessel description/ design characteristics

General arrangement

Accommodations are provided for a combination of 26 crew members and scientists in 14 staterooms located on the upper deck. The crew complement is ten for all voyages and the combination of ROV staff and scientists (16) brings the total vessel complement to 26.

Equipment and control/monitoring systems

The main machinery plant is diesel electric with a common power bus connecting five generators. Any combination of generator operation will provide power for both propulsion and other vessel operations. This design arrangement provides a high level of machinery plant redundancy and operational flexibility. Propulsion power is transmitted through two duplicate drive trains, each consisting of a DC electric motor and fixed pitch propeller. Silicon controlled rectifiers (SCR's) are used to convert generated AC power to DC propulsive power. Two electric motor-driven bow thrusters are installed to enhance maneuvering and station-keeping.

Primary equipment and control/monitoring systems

*Four SCR drives: GE, Model DC2000 *Fuel centrifuge: Alfa Laval, Model MAB 103 *Marine sanitation device: Orca, Model 11A-36 *Air compressor: Quincy, Model QR 25 *One water-maker: Sea Recovery model SCR5M3-SW-H *Cathodic protection/monitor: Swath Ocean Systems, Inc. *Uninterruptible power supply: Exide Pwr Wave +18, J1842AU131EE00A *Monitoring system: Exide Pwr Wave +18, J1842AU131EE00A *Generator control: Point 8 *Propulsion control: Nautronix/GE/Omnithruster *Bow thruster control: Omnithruster B2000 *Ballast system control: Swath Ocean Systems, Inc.

Primary navigation and communication equipment

*GPS: Leica MX420, Furuno SC120 *Radar: Furuno, Models FR2110 & FR1941 *Gyro compass: Sperry FOG Furuno SC120 *Dynamic positioning: Nautronix, Model ASK 4001 *Autopilot: Maritime Dynamics Inc, Nautronix ASK 4001. *Motion Control: Maritime Dynamics Inc. *Steering system: Swath Ocean Systems, Inc. / Maritime Dynamics *GMDSS station: Furuno model RC5000 3T, areas A1-A3 *Depth sounder: Knudsen 3208/R (good to 5000m) *PBX system: Knudsen 3208/R (good to 5000m) *Weather station: Barometer, wind indicator, Furuno FW-200 *Computing station: Chart and Navigation *Dopler: Furuno CI-80 current indicator

Primary fire fighting and safety equipment

*Fire detection and alarm system: Cerebus Pyrotronics MXL *SOLAS Rescue Boat: Ribcraft 5.85m with 75 Honda outboard motor *Life rafts: Two 25-Man Viking *Extinguishing systems: Portable & fixed - (7) Fire Hose Stations *EPIRB: ** Two 9Ghz SARTs ** One 406Mhz w/121.5 MHz beacon

Primary deck machinery

*Cranes: ** One - Model HIAB 290 ** One - Modified Allied *CTD winch system: Dynacon 12030 **Capacity: 6500 m of .322 in. cable **Max. continuous line pull: ***Bare drum - 7000 lbs.@100 fpm ***Full drum - 4300 lbs.@140 fpm **Max. continuous line speed: ***Bare drum - 240 fpm @ 2500 lbs. ***Full drum - 415 fpm @ 1450 lbs. *Anchor windlass: Kolstrand Akphaw 223324 *Mooring winches: Four - Marco WG023 *ROV umbilical handling system: Dynacon TV3615K/SW3616K *Stern "A-Frame": 13,000 lbs. SWL; **14 ft wide, 13 ft clearance through entire range of motion

References

External links

MBARI Marine Operations
{{DEFAULTSORT:Western Flyer Research vessels of the United States Monterey Bay Aquarium 1996 ships